In a world first, Albania has appointed an artificial intelligence–generated minister named ‘Diella’ to enhance transparency in governance and curb corruption.
Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced Diella while unveiling his new cabinet after securing a fourth consecutive term in May’s elections. Diella, which means “sun” in Albanian, will oversee all government tenders.
“Diella is the first government member who is not physically present, but virtually created by artificial intelligence,” Rama explained. Going forward, public tenders will become 100% incorruptible and every public fund passing through the process will be fully transparent.
In her earlier avatar, Diella functioned as a digital assistant on the state’s e-Albania platform, guiding users through bureaucratic processes and issuing over 36,000 digital documents. She has already helped deliver nearly 1,000 services online.
In her extended responsibility, Diella will directly oversee public tenders. Rama has described this move as a historic shift, noting that she will be a servant of public procurement that cannot be “bribed, threatened, or influenced.”
The initiative is part of Rama’s strategy to combat corruption, long viewed as a stumbling block in Albania’s bid to join the European Union by 2030. Corrupt public tenders, in particular, have been a frequent source of scandal.
Anti-corruption experts have acknowledged the potential of AI in minimizing political corruption if programmed correctly.